Lightning-rod



(No Model.)

J. J. COLE. Lightning Rod. No. 229,382.

Patented June 29,1880.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. COLE, on ST. LoUIs, MIssoUni.

LIGHTNING-ROD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 229,382, dated June 29, 1880.

Application filed May 3,1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN JEFFERSON COLE, of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lightning-Rods; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyin drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of a section of my improved lightning-rod. Fig. 2 is a view of the standard. Figs. 3 and 4 are views of the coupling. Figs. 5 and 6 are views of the device for attaching the rod to the building; and Fig. 7 is a view of the ground section.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

A lightning-rod consists of six parts, viz: the point, the support for the end which pro jects above the building, the main section of the rod, the coupling between sections, the device for attaching it to the building, and the ground section.

For my improved 1i ghtnin g-rod I use a point of any known construction, but preferably the one described in my Patent No. 185,430, of December 19, 1876.

The shape of my improved rod is what I denominate a double star. It is made in the following manner: I take a billet of iron and bring it to a high heat to render its particles soft and easily movable, and then pass through it a strong current of electricity, and at the same time subject it to a heavy pressure on all sides simultaneously. My theory is that the passage of the electricity through the billet of iron while it is highly heated will polarize the particles and cause those that lie in a transverse direction to arrange themselves longitudinally, in which position they will be fixed by the compression, thereby rendering the rod formed therefrom a better conductor of electricity as well as increasing its strength.

The pressure may be applied by means of dies working simultaneously upon the four sides of the billet, and the electrical connection made by attachments to the compressing-machine communicating with the ends of the billet. The billet thus prepared is drawn down into star shape in rolls suitably grooved to leave the flanges rather full near their edges. It is then passed through a finishing-roll properly grooved to sharpen or throw up this fullness into a sharp lateral flange, 1), extending out on both sides of the flanges a. finishing each two opposite flanges a. at a time, it requiring two passes to finish the four flanges, the rod being turned one-quarter way over at the second pass.

The lateral flanges b are form ed near enough the edge of the flanges a to give clearance to the rolls of the first-formed flanges I) while the others are being formed in the second pass. The flanges may, if desired, be made sharper by drawing the rod through dies in the way practiced for drawing wire. The rod may be made of any desired metal suitable for the purpose, or it may be made of iron covered with sheet-copper or other suitable metal in the manner well known to those skilled in the art.

This form of rod presents a great number of sharp angles, and has its utility in the rapid dissipation of the electricity on all sides, thereby rendering it harmless, and also in the presentation of a greater number of sharp re ceiving-edges. It has also the advantage of great strength in a given amount of metal.

The upper end of the rod, which projects above the building, is supported by a standard composed of the holders 0, made of flexible metal, such as wrought or malleable castiron, and two or more legs, (1, extending from them and fastened to the building. The legs are attached to the holders in a circle equidistant, or nearly so, from each other and from the rod, and are preferably spread apart as they descend, and serve thereby to brace the rod, which is in the center. I prefer to have three. legs, so as to form a tripod which braces the rod on all sides. Therod passes up through the holders 0, which may or may not contain insulators, as desired. The holders, being flexible, are then compressed around the rod itself or around the insulators.

I prefer to use star-iron for the legs, and to have the eyes 0 of star shape. Then, as the rod is twisted, the legs d may also be twisted, and thus present a uniformity of appearance with the rod. This twisting has also the merit of making a firm fastening between the holder and the legs. To give the legs a greater spread at the lower holder the eyes 0 may be extended.

When support to the rod above the lower This is done by g holder is not required, that part of the standard above the lower holder may be left oft, or when onlya limited support is required above the lower holder two of the legs may terminate at the lower holder, leaving but one leg to extend up and form an attachment for the upper holder.

The sections of my rod are secured together by the coupling j, which may be made in one piece or in two pieces. hen made in two pieces the parts may be united by a male and female screw-thread, by a dovetail, or otherwise, as desired. The part which applies to the section of the rod is provided with ribs or bars corresponding in number and shape to the grooves in the rod, and expanding at the upper and lower end into bands polygonal in form, intended to encircle the end of the section of red, the flanges of which are recessed or notched at It. This coupling is placed upon the end of the rod-section, and by a suitable implement the ribs and bands are compressed firmly into the grooves until it conforms in shape to the star-section oi" the rod, which causes the upper band to enter the notches 71, thereby forming a firm attachment to the rodsection. The sections are then secured together.

The advantages of this construction are simplicity, cheapness, strength, and thoroughness of metallic contact.

The rod is then placed against the building and secured to it by means of a fastening, 7a, of a peculiar staple shape. It has to fit the flanges of the twisted rod, and consequently is provided with a central cavity, k, which runs diagonally to its length, so as to bear upon the apex-flange of the rod, two shoulders, k and If, one of which, k inclines downward in one direction, and the other, k in the opposite direction, so as to bear evenly upon the two side flanges of the rod, and ends 7;, which are cast with holes or punched or tapped for the fastening nails or screws. A point, it, is provided to receive and discharge electricity. WVhen used where it is liable to receive a lateral discharge of electricity, I make the point is longer and sharper, and plate it with a noncorrosivc metal.

The end of the rod terminates in the earth in the usual way; but, as under certain conditions the earth does not take oft the elec tricity from the rod with sufficient rapidity, I divide the current and lead it off in a number of different channels by the provision of one meeting-faces of the coupling of the lowersection, so that when the said coupling is brought together the wires will be clamped between its meetingfaces, as at a.

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A flanged lightning-rod having one or more longitudinal ribs upon the main flange or flanges, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. A standard for supporting the rod above the building having a holder or clamp of flexible metal for grasping the rod or insulator and two or more legs arranged around and equidistant from the rod, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. A standard for supporting the rod above the building having a holder or clamp 0t flexible metal for grasping the rod or insulator and two or more legs arranged around and equidistant from the rod, one or more of which legs extends above the holder and is fitted at its upper end with a second open flexible rod or insulator holder, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The flanged rod-section having a coupling connected thcreto by being compressed into notches or recesses in the edges of the flanges, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. The flanged rod-section having a coup ling connected thereto by a ring which is compressed into notches in the flanges, and bars which are compressed into the angles of the rod, substantially as and for the purposes described.

6. A lightning-Tod having a ground section united thereto by a coupling, the meetingfaces of which are grooved for the attaclnnent of additional conducting bars or wires, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I, the said JOHN JEF- FERSON COLE, have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN JEFFERSON COLE.

Witnesses:

JNo. K. SMITH, JAMES H. PORTE. 

